Image Comics announced this week that its entire publishing line the majority of its current publishing catalogue will be made available to digital comics customers on the same day as print via the Graphicly and comiXology platforms beginning this Wednesday, October 5. Those Image books written by Robert Kirkman, including The Walking Dead and Invincible, have been available in this manner for some time, but this marks the first time that the bulk of the line can be purchased on iOS, Android, and Amazon devices as well as on desktop computers on the same day they go on sale in comic book stores. Image is only the second major American publisher, after DC Comics, to offer its new material in this way, which has been consistently demanded by digital comics customers.As much a social network as a digital comics platform, Graphicly is presently the only digital comics retailer operating on Facebook, giving Image Comics' products a leg up on that enormous potential audience. Along those lines, Image will convert its existing Facebook page into a browsable comic book store in which customers can discover and purchase digital comics without having to leave the site.

"For years, print comics have been dependent on a single distribution network, so it's interesting to be a position to utilize a variety of different digital platforms," said Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson in a press release. "As digital comics continue to become a greater concern, it's important to embrace as many different options as possible."

The popular digital comics platform powering DC Comics' exclusive same day digital products for Apple's iOS devices and the Web, comiXology will also offer Image's same day digital products to its customers. Despite reports to the contrary, including a previous version of this post, comiXology will have the same new Image material as Graphicly and on the same day. Additionally, comiXology CEO David Steinberger told ComicsAlliance that following the first month of Image's new digital initiative, prices will be reduced. The developer of Image's official iOS digital comics app, comiXology currently has over 3,500 Image products for sale.

A press release issued earlier this week by Image Comics claimed that the publisher's "entire" catalogue of new comics will be available digitally on the same day as print, but CA has since confirmed that is not accurate. While the majority of Image's top titles are going same day digital, some Image creators have chosen not to participate in any digital sales programs, which is of course their right as the owners of their own work. Notably, this week's new issue of Todd McFarlane's Spawn will not be available digitally.

Both Graphicly and comiXology's same day digital Image Comics go on sale across all their respective platforms starting October 5. This week's products include new issues of:

Chew

The Infinite

Severed

The Last of the Greats

Marksmen

Moriarty

Pilot Season

Red Spike

Red Gunther

SkullKickers

The Strange Talent of Luther Strode

Vescell

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